Ford’s New Ranger MS-RT Wants To Be The Street-Focused Sibling Of The Ranger Raptor

Ford has revealed the new Ranger MS-RT, a motorsport-inspired version of the pickup truck developed in collaboration with design specialists MS-RT.

Think of it as the alter ego of the Baja-inspired Ranger Raptor, at least that’s what Ford is claiming; the new Ranger MS-RT comes with a unique exterior look, Ford’s biturbo 2.0-liter diesel with 210 HP (213 PS) – the same one as in the Ranger Raptor-, and features a pretty generous equipment list as standard.

The unique exterior of the new Ranger MS-RT includes a hand-built front fascia with a honeycomb carbon fiber-effect grille and integrated fog lights, extended wheel arches and side skirts, a set of 20-inch OZ Racing alloy wheels, and carbon fiber-effect mirror caps.

The interior is trimmed in premium leather with contrast orange stitching, and features ambient lighting, heated front seats, Ford’s SYNC3 infotainment system with an eight-inch touchscreen display, and MS-RT detailing on the floor mats and scuff plates.

The new Ford Ranger RS-MT is based on the Ranger Wildtrak, which means that the rear suspension retains its leaf springs, unlike the Ranger Raptor which makes use of coil springs. This means that the new RS-MT continues to offer a payload of up to 1,098 kg (2,420 lbs) and can tow up to 3,500kg (7,716 lbs), just like the regular Ranger.

“Ranger MS-RT is designed for customers who value Ranger’s hard-working capability but want the racing pedigree and hand-finished exclusivity of our MS-RT series”, said Brendan Lyne, director, Commercial Vehicles, Ford of Europe. “This eye-catching vehicle blends Ford’s decades of success in pick-up trucks with striking motorsport-inspired design to offer a road-focused truck combining immense kerb appeal with the hard-working ability that our customers love.”

The biturbo diesel engine is still mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission, sending 210 HP (213 PS) and 368 lb-ft (500 Nm) of torque down to the road via a selectable four-wheel-drive system. Customers can also choose a Maxhaust app-controlled soundbox, which is available as a dealer-fit option, for a sportier soundtrack.

The new Ford Ranger MS-RT will go on sale in select European markets from summer 2021, available in Super Cab or Double Cab body styles.